Econ 136A: Intermediate Accounting
University of California Santa Barbara
Fall 2015 Syllabus
Professor: Douglas E. Kulper Office Hours: Mon 12:45 – 1:45 pm
Office: North Hall 3050 Mon 5:00 – 6:15 pm
E-mail: doug.kulper@ucsb.edu Wed 5:00 – 6:15 pm
Class Meeting Information
Class Time: Monday/Wednesday, 2:00 pm – 3:15 am (Room: NH 1110)
Class Time: Monday/Wednesday, 3:30 pm – 4:45 am (Room: NH 1110)
Course Description
Three hours lecture/discussion/problem solving.
An in-depth analysis of recognition, measurement, classification, and valuation issues in financial reporting within the framework of generally accepted accounting principles.
Required Text
Intermediate Accounting, 15th Edition, Kieso/Weygandt/Warfield
Note: It is critical that you use this edition.
Materials
1. GauchoSpace at https://gauchospace.ucsb.edu/ 2. WileyPLUS (Course ID: 478331) 3. PowerPoint Slides at Wiley’s website or on GauchoSpace 4. Non-Programmable Calculator – not your phone or a programmable calculator
Course Format
As discussed below, there will be regular homework, a number of small quizzes, and three noncumulative exams. This course will be rather flexible and students will be responsible for checking e-mail and/or GauchoSpace each week for announcements, corrections, and clarifications to the schedule.
GauchoSpace
This class is set up on GauchoSpace. I will post announcements and other relevant information on GS regularly throughout the quarter. Registered Econ 136A students are automatically enrolled in GS.
Reading Assignments
Because the quizzes will cover the reading assignments on a regular basis, it is important that students attend class and keep up with the reading and WileyPLUS assignments (see below). I will assign reading assignments for each class. This syllabus includes a tentative schedule of reading assignments but be sure to keep up with the assignments on GauchoSpace.
Attendance (Lecture)
Due to the nature of this subject, attendance in class is vital. Although attendance will not be taken, you are responsible for everything that is discussed or covered in lecture.
WileyPLUS Assignments
Chapter homework must be completed and submitted using WileyPLUS.
(1) As many of you know, WileyPLUS is on online feature that allows access to the textbook electronically and allows the homework to be completed online. Each student will need a registration code to use WileyPLUS. The textbooks sold at the bookstore come with a registration code for WileyPLUS. If you obtain the textbook from a source other than the University Bookstore you will need to purchase the WileyPLUS registration code separately.
(2) You can purchase a code separately. WileyPLUS does provide online access to the textbook.
(3) Course ID: 478331
WileyPLUS times out after 20 minutes of inactivity. I encourage you to print out your assignments rather than lose any of your work. Be sure to make note of the due date and time for each assignment. I recommend you complete the assignments in advance to avoid unexpected circumstances like illness, work commitments, computer difficulties or the need to be out of town. Loss of points by not following the directions will not be corrected. If for any reason you miss the due date of an assignment you can complete it after the due date for half credit.
IF YOU HAVE ANY DIFFICULTY WITH REGISTRATION, please do NOT attempt to resolve via email to me. There are two means of resolving the problem that are much more effective:
(1) The online chat with tech support at the WileyPlus site is staffed by persons far more knowledgeable about the online software than your professor and has proven to be very effective;
(2) Come to my office hours.
In order to register for WileyPLUS, you MUST HAVE PURCHASED AN ACCESS CODE.
Grading: Within WileyPLUS you will be able to track your progress by reviewing your scores under the Gradebook link. Within WileyPLUS there are a total of 200 points that can be earned (20% of your grade in the class).
Textbook Problems Not Assigned in WileyPLUS
Solutions to the questions in the back of each chapter that have not been assigned as graded homework will be available on GauchoSpace or as otherwise provided by me. As part of your study, I recommend you work through as many of these problems as possible to gain a complete comprehension of the material.
Slides and Handouts
Before each lecture, students may want to review the applicable PowerPoint slides. As you will see, the slides are very comprehensive – perhaps too comprehensive. The slides are available on WileyPLUS class website as noted above.
Exams
We will have three exams. Students are responsible for all textbook material covered, assigned outside readings (if any), and material discussed in class, unless specifically excluded by me.
The format of the exams may include true/false, multiple-choice, short-answer, exercise or problem type questions. The topics covered during lecture, and the homework assignments, should be your general guide for topics tested on the exams. Use your textbook to reinforce topics covered in lecture. There are no practice exams available to study.
For the exams you may need the following (I will let you know prior to the exam if you need a Scantron):
• Scantron (Scantron Form No. 882-E – 100 Answers) • Pencil for Scantron. Pen for all other questions. • Non-Programmable Calculator. PROGRAMMABLE CALCULATORS, CELL PHONES, or OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE NOT ALLOWED DURING THE EXAMS. If you are found using any electronic device other than a NON-PROGRAMMABLE CALCULATOR it will be considered cheating and there will be a loss of points and possibly a zero score for the exam, among other possible consequences.
You will have the opportunity to review the exam solutions to confirm that your exam was scored correctly during office hours. If possible, I will try to set up additional office hours after grading the exams for that purpose, or you can review them during regular office hours (if time permits). If you intend to review your exam, you should do so before the next exam is taken for maximum benefit.
Exams must be taken as scheduled on the syllabus. There are no make-up exams. If you miss an exam for a legitimate reason, you can file for an incomplete and take the equivalent exam with my class the following quarter. Incomplete petitions can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.
Quizzes
We will have a quiz in nearly every class. There are no make-up quizzes. The quizzes will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions or a short exercise. For now, I plan to drop your lowest quiz score at the end of the quarter. Therefore, you could miss a quiz for any reason (illness, interviewing, etc.) without harm. However, it is in your best interest to try to attend class and take all of the quizzes so that you can eliminate your low score (but please do not come to class if you are very sick). If you miss more than one quiz, you will lose those points (see me in advance if there are extraordinary circumstances). You should keep with you the small, 15-question Scantron forms for the MC and T/F quizzes (Scantron Form No. 815-E – 15 Answers). You should also bring a simple, nonprogrammable calculator to class that performs basic functions (see above).
E-Mail
Please keep your questions sent by e-mail to an administrative nature. Technical questions related to class material, homework, etc., should be asked during office hours. Due to the number of students in my classes, I will not be able to respond to technical questions. If you do have an administrative question that cannot be resolved by talking with your fellow students, etc., please include the class name and class time in your subject line.
Grading
Summary of anticipated grading components and grade scale: Total Percent Points Exam No. 1 15.0% 150 Exam No. 2 15.0% 150 Exam No. 3 15.0% 150 Homework 20.0% 200 Quizzes 35.0% 350 Total 100% 1,000
Final letter grades will likely be determined on the better of either the combined class rankings or a standard points scale as follows (approximate):
|A |Top 10% |B |25% |C |10% |
|A- |10% |B- |10% |C- or below |10% |
|B+ |10% |C+ |15% | | |
|A |1000-940 |B | 869-840 |C | 769-740 |D | 669-640 |
|A- | 939-900 |B- | 839-800 |C- | 739-700 |D- | 639-600 |
|B+ | 899-870 |C+ | 799-770 |D+ | 699-670 |F | < 600 |
Natural breaks in the scoring between students will determine the actual percentages in each grade category, which may vary slightly from the table above. It might be unnecessary to grade anyone lower than a C- depending on the final distribution of points.
Professional Classroom Conduct
The classroom is a special environment in which students and faculty come together to promote learning and growth. It is essential to the learning environment that you respect the rights of others seeking to learn, respect the professionalism of the instructor, and maintain the general goals of academic freedom. The goal is to express differences of viewpoint or concerns in terms that are supportive of the learning process, create an environment in which students and faculty may learn to reason with clarity and compassion, and develop an understanding of the community in which they live. Consequently, student conduct that disrupts the learning process may lead to disciplinary action and/or removal from class. Such inappropriate conduct includes talking to other students in class while the instructor is lecturing, which will not be tolerated.
E-Mail/Electronic Devices
Please keep your questions sent by e-mail to an administrative nature. Technical questions related to class material should be asked in class or during office hours. Due to the number of students in my classes, I will not be able to respond to technical questions. If you do have an administrative question that cannot be resolved by talking with your fellow students, etc., please include the class name in your subject line. Also, I would suggest closing your laptops and tablets during lectures. Students perform the best on quizzes and exams by studying the material before class, and then listening to the lectures. We will also go over the first half of the quiz questions during lecture.
Cell Phones
Cell phone ring tones must be off at all times during class. If you are expecting an urgent phone call, please turn your phone to vibrate, and leave the classroom to answer the call. Cell phones or other electronic devices shall not be visible during quizzes or exams.
Academic Integrity
The standard rules apply as outlined in “Academic Integrity at UCSB: A Student’s Guide.” In accordance with UCSB’s policy on academic dishonesty, students in this course who cheat on quizzes, help other students cheat, or commit other acts of academic dishonesty will receive appropriate academic penalties, including failing the course. You are cheating if you copy from another student, consult notes or a textbook during a quiz or exam, have another student take a quiz or exam for you, communicate with another student about answers to the quiz or exam, use an electronic device during a quiz or exam, write course materials on your desk prior to an exam or quiz, or use an instructor manual or test bank to prepare for class or study for an exam or quiz, among other things. Any student who cheats during a quiz or exam will receive an “F” in the course, and the incident will be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs for further sanctions. Possible sanctions include suspension and dismissal.
Hotline
The Economics Department has established a hotline where you can anonymously report cheating incidents. The URL is https://econ.ucsb.edu/cheating/
SEE LECTURE OUTLINE BELOW
Lecture Outline
NOTE: This schedule is tentative and I will modify the syllabus whenever developments indicate that a change is desirable. You will likely receive announcements on changes to the syllabus during class but I will also attempt to announce any material changes to the syllabus on GauchoSpace and/or via e-mail.
Week Date Reading Assignments
1 Sep 28 Introduction _ _ _ _ _
Sep 30 Chapter 1: Financial Accounting & Accounting Standards
2 Oct 05 Chapter 2: Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting Quiz 1 (Both Chapters 1 & 2) _ _ _ _ _
Oct 07 Chapter 3: Accounting Information Systems Homework: WP#01, WP#02 Quiz 2
3 Oct 12 Chapter 4: Statement of Income and Retained Earnings, pp. 158-182 (LO:1-7) Homework: WP#03, WP#04 Quiz 3 _ _ _ _ _
Oct 14 Chapter 5: Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows, pp. 212-239 (LO: 1-8) Homework: WP#05, WP#06 Quiz 4
4 Oct 19 Exam No. 1 (Chapters 3, 4, 5) _ _ _ _ _
Oct 21 Chapter 6: Time Value of Money, pp. 287-299 (LO: 1-5) Homework: WP#07 Quiz 5
5 Oct 26 Chapter 6: Time Value of Money, pp. 299-311 (LO: 6-7), 313-315 (LO: 8 Bonds Only) Homework: WP#08 Quiz 6 _ _ _ _ _
Oct 28 Chapter 7: Cash and Receivables, pp. 344-358 (LO: 1-5) Homework: WP#09 Quiz 7
Lecture Outline (cont.)
NOTE: This schedule is tentative and I will modify the syllabus whenever developments indicate that a change is desirable. You will likely receive announcements on changes to the syllabus during class but I will also attempt to announce any material changes to the syllabus on GauchoSpace and/or via e-mail.
Week Date Reading Assignments
6 Nov 02 Chapter 7: Cash and Receivables, pp. 359-374 (LO: 6-9) Homework: WP#10 Quiz 8 _ _ _ _ _
Nov 04 Chapter 8: Value of Inventories – Cost Basis, pp. 414-432 (LO: 1-5) Homework: WP#11 Quiz 9
7 Nov 09 Chapter 8: Value of Inventories – Cost Basis, pp. 432-446 (LO: 6-10) Homework: WP#12 Quiz 10 _ _ _ _ _
Nov 11 Veterans’ Day Holiday
8 Nov 16 Exam No. 2 (Chapters 6, 7, 8) _ _ _ _ _
Nov 18 Chapter 9: Inventories – Add’l Val. Issues, pp. 472-485 (LO: 1-4) Homework: WP#13 Quiz 11
9 Nov 23 Chapter 9: Inventories – Add’l Val. Issues, pp. 488-496 (LO: 6-7), pp. 497-498 (LO: 8 Stable Prices – LIFO Retail Only) Homework: WP#14 Quiz 12 _ _ _ _ _
Nov 25 Chapter 10: Property, Plant & Equipment, pp. 537-547 (LO: 1-4) Homework: WP#15 Quiz 13
10 Nov 30 Chapter 10: Property, Plant & Equipment, pp. 547-561 (LO: 5-7) Homework: WP#16 Quiz 14 _ _ _ _ _
Dec 02 Chapter 11: Depreciation, Impairments, and Depletion, pp. 588-595 (LO: 1-3), 598-612 (LO: 4 Special Depreciation Issues Only; LO: 5-7) Quiz 15
Finals Week Exam No. 3 (Chapters 9, 10, 11) 2:00 PM Class: Monday @ 4:00 pm; 3:30 PM Class: Friday @ Noon 